Update: Friday Hearing Canceled in Battle Over Twitter Records' Role in Wikileaks Investigation

EFF and ACLU Argue Against Government Attempt to Collect Private Data

UPDATE: Friday's hearing about whether the government can collect the private records of three Twitter users as part of its investigation related to Wikileaks has been canceled.

Alexandria, VA - On Friday, April 22, at 10 a.m., a district court in Virginia will hear oral argument about whether the government can collect the private records of three Twitter users as part of its investigation related to Wikileaks.

Last month, following an initial challenge, a magistrate judge ruled in favor of the government and against the privacy rights of the users. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are challenging the magistrate's ruling on behalf of Birgitta Jonsdottir, an Icelandic parliamentarian who is appealing jointly with fellow Twitter users Jacob Appelbaum and Rop Gonggrijp. Also at issue is whether the users can learn which other Internet companies were ordered to turn over information about them to the government.

EFF cooperating counsel John Keker of Keker and Van Nest will urge the court Friday to require the government to protect the First Amendment freedoms of speech and association of the Twitter users and the Fourth Amendment rights of the users in their locations. ACLU attorney Aden Fine will ask the court to unseal all documents related to other requests for private data.

WHAT:
Oral argument in re application of the U.S. for an order pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 2703(d)